Arcadia High School’s (AHS) Junior Council presented a movie night event on Feb. 17 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the MPR. During the movie night, the movie Ratatouille was featured. 

On the night of the event, students waited outside of the MPR before 6 p.m. to ensure that they could grab the best spot. As the clock hit 6 p.m., juniors rushed into the room and formed a line for check-in. Students could either use their blankets to sit on the floor, or grab chairs from the side of the room. 

There were a couple of students who were very prepared. Junior Shuhao Chen brought three blankets, three stuffed animals to function as pillows, and an enormous bag of snacks and drinks. The Junior Council also brought their cameras and took many pictures of the event. 

Ratatouille is a 2007 Pixar animated film about a rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a chef. Remy befriends a kitchen worker named Alfredo Linguini, and they team up to create culinary masterpieces in a Parisian restaurant while dealing with the challenges of hiding Remy’s true identity. 

“I love the movie. It was very fun and reflected on some of my high school life as well. I appreciate my friend dragging me here because I did not imagine the event being this fun,” exclaimed Chen. “I hope [Junior Council] can do this again in the near future!” 

The movie Ratatouille was picked because it relates to high school, exploring themes of pursuing one’s passions and overcoming societal expectations. High school students can relate to the pressures of fitting in and following a certain path, rather than following their dreams. The film highlights the importance of hard work, determination, and learning from mistakes—all of which are valuable lessons for high school students. The challenges that Remy and Linguini face in the movie are similar to the challenges that high school students face when navigating the complexities of adolescence and the transition to adulthood.

During the movie, Junior Council passed out several snacks including popcorn, Capri-sun, and instant ramen. 

“I was surprised that they let me in. It was really nice of them to let me join when I couldn’t go home. The movie night was really fun, especially the ramen, and I was able to spend a wonderful time with my friends,” said senior Aiden Joo. 

After the movie, there was also a Remy poster for students to take pictures with, and the whiteboard was filled with drawings of Remy as well. Overall, the movie was a total success, and numerous individuals hope to participate in another one in the future!

Photos by Justina (Yijia) Liu

Graphic courtesy of AHS Junior Council